Outstanding cash claims drop from 44,000 to 3,300

KIRKLEES Council has slashed the massive backlog of housing benefit claims.

The outstanding workload is now the lowest for three years and is continuing to reduce.

Figures supplied to a council watchdog show that outstanding work has reduced from 44,000 claims in April 2002 to 3,300 in July 2003.

Clr Gordon Beever, Lib Dem councillor who has cabinet responsibility for finance and legal matters, put the achievement down to the £1.8m computer system commissioned by the Lib Dems when they took control of Kirklees Council in May 2000.

The system was installed in December 2001.

Clr Beever said: "The new administration put a new computer system in place to replace the old system which was dying on its feet.

"Inevitably when you change a major system you will get a backlog.

"It has taken the best part of a year to get rid of that backlog."

A trouble-shooting team was also set up last summer at Clr Beever's behest.

He also pointed out that the council had had to deal with the government's new anti-fraud strategy, which involved stringent checking of claimants' details.

"We have coped with that on top of the ordinary work," he added.

"And at the moment we are very, very pleased with the system."

Jane Brady, head of revenues and benefits, says in her report to the Overview and Scrutiny Panel this week that new claims are processed much faster than before: down to 80 days in the first quarter of this financial year compared with 137 in third quarter of 2002/03.

And in a report to go to the Spen Valley Housing Management Committee, she writes: "Significant progress has been made this year. I am pleased to inform you that the outstanding workloads are at the lowest they have been for three years and are continuing to reduce."

The backlog of payment of rent to people on housing benefit has been slashed by £289,213 and is only 1.4% above targets.

Up to March this year, the council owed £657,148 in housing benefit to landlords. This was reduced to £367,935 by June 30 2003.

Other changes include:

* A tough line on people who fraudulently claim benefits. Nine people were prosecuted last year and three more are awaiting a court date.

* A blitz on council tax debtors. Since April 2003, the service has issued 30,000 reminders, 10, 700 summonses and 8,000 liability orders.

A further 4,000 visits have been made by the council's bailiffs in the financial year.

* Steps to make council tax paying easier. Residents can now pay their tax by debit card and credit card. More than 8, 4000 payments have been made over the phone so far this financial year, it has been revealed.

People can set up direct debits over the phone and 3,500 people have done this so far since April.